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Four times in five years, lawmakers have introduced the Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge Act to bar senators and representatives from investing based on knowledge they gained in the course of their duties. Three times, the STOCK Act has died in committee. Will the fourth time be the charm?

Earlier this week, Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) complained that he only netted $600,000 in 2010, and thus couldn't afford to pay higher taxes: "Class warfare never created a job," said Fleming. Former Obama administration official Elizabeth Warren, now running for the Senate, is ready with the counter-argument.

Democrats said Tuesday they would reopen the Wall Street reform bill in an effort to secure enough support for its passage after Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, one of the few Republicans to vote for the bill, said he could no longer support it due to the inclusion of a $20 billion bank tax.

During his address Wednesday night, look for President Obama to focus on solutions for problem No. 1: The lack of jobs. Employment growth will determine not just the economy's fate, but also that of the Democratic majorities in Congress -- and possibly of Obama's presidency.

The Senate race between Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Scott Brown was widely seen as a referendum on health care reform. But while Brown's victory means the current plans for reform may not pass, it doesn't mean that the system is any less in need of major change.

President Obama can't be pleased by the loss of a Democratic Senate seat which jeopardizes passage of his cherished health-care reform. The news, however, appears to have fueled a mini stock rally in the health-care and pharma sectors wary of how any reform would affect their businesses. The uptrend is expected to continue.